Posted by Juanita Pinder on September 04, 2001 at 16:21:13:
Quilting - A Labour of Love
By Juanita Pinder
I was pleasantly surprised to find a quaint little pink and white wooden house off the main road of Spanish Wells which houses the Quilt Shop owned and operated by Cecile Dunnam and her faithful sister.
These sisters have been creating beautiful quilts for decades and they are often assisted by other ladies of Spanish Wells who stop in from day to day.
Ms. Dunnam commented that one quilt can take months to create and it is definitely a "labour of love" because the financial reward is not great.
Creating beautiful quilts is a hobby that Ms. Dunnam fully enjoys and is always motivated by the expressions of glee on the faces of her customers whenever they see her work.
Ms. Dunnam recalls a proud moment in her life when she was invited to the Smithsonian Exhibit in Washington, D.C. along with other Bahamians. She considered it an honour to represent her country and to show off the talent God has blessed her with.
Unfortunately, the quilting trade is slowly dying, especially among the younger people. Because it is viewed as a trade that lacks financial rewards, some youth are not too keen to learn it.
It would be a good idea for schools to avail themselves of the talent of Ms. Dunnam, so that the younger generation would be encouraged to keep this great art amongst us for many years to come.